The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-17
THE PROBLEM OF THE AGE.
DR.. Lyman Abbott Traces Labor's Prog
ress from the Worlds Beginning.
A Time Coming When the Few Shall Not
Own All the Tools Of Industry
The Doom of Monopoly.

Plymouth Church was well filled last night to
hear Dr.. Lyman Abbott's lecture on Industrial
Evolution" DR.. Abbott is recognized as one of
the ablest ministers Of America and is editor of
the Christian Union. He 10 pleasant. foreible
and at timcs eloquent in his delivery. He dealt
with the present aspect Of the labor problem.
BE recognized the fact that all men acknowledge
that there is labor problem, which he believed
would in time be solved by the light that is
dawning from full and free discussion OF the
subject. Sines the beginning of govern
ments there had been three conditions
italist owned the land and the laborer
Second-Feudalism; the capitalist owned the
land, and had lien upon the laborer. Third
And tho present one, the wage system; the cap
italist and laborer are both free. but the former
owns all the tools by which labor 10 performed.
The present system was brought about by the
innovation of machinery and steam It has
taken the ownership out of tho laborer's hands
and put it into the hands of few. Capitalists
to-day own the blood and nerve of America.
Rs~ Y sSas'G to sa as ao
six men govern tho whole output OF
coal OF Pennsylvania This is q great
gain on the systems of the past. It is not true
more 6lAV0S
they have ever been before. They will not gain
freedom by going back. but by going forward.
The laborer is better off now than ever before.
In Europe, where remnants OF the feudal system
remain, the condition of the laboring man is
worse. Individual capitalists ara not response
BILE for the defects Of the system. Tho system
itself is faulty. The capitalists. ividually,
have done wonderful things by building churches
and colleges and diffusing knowledge through
the press. Every corporation has fed thousand
men where benevolence has fed but one
| The present industrial system came in with
tho present century, and it will 60 out with the
century. The system denies to the wage
workers any profit in the worlds industry They
| get MISUNDERSTANDING more II you want to
consider the faults of the wage system at its
worst, you must look at Europe. One-haH tho
families of Prussia live on sos per year. Must
We wait until the fruit that grows upon our trees
has ripened. as it has in Europef A second de-
feet is that great many willing workers are de-
| MED opportunity to work at all Any system
that forbids man to earn his bread by the
| sweat of his brow must be defective
In America, last year, one mill
ion workers were in that hell, and
| the door was locked upon them. With such a
fact staring you in the face, who will say the
| workingmen have not grievance1 In the third
| place the system develops a great plutocracy.
| The concentration of wealth has never been as
rapid as 1t is now. There are but three ways by
| which man may make living He must earn
it by honest industry; he must receive it as q
gift or he must steal it. Whether he gets rich by
| handling cards at table or by dealing ia pork.
| unless ne makes it by honest labor inberits
| it he il thief. In the fourth place. the system
sets society off in classes and castles that an
| tagonistic.
| What is the remedyf Something may be done
by laws, by religion, and by education The
wage system is not democratic. or Christian, and
| must give away to the democracy OF industry.
| The time is coming when the few shall not own
| all tho tools o. industry. The time was when
| education was in the hands Of few but it IL
| now in the hands of the many. Political power
was formerly in the hands Of the few, but is now
| in the hands OF the many. The wealth of the
| country Is yet in the hands of tho few, but the
| time is coming when it will be in the hands
cannot be free to all and wealth for but few.
All things are tending to diffusion, and wealth
must follow. We may fight it. but it will come.
The tools are now ready for the hands Of the
workingmen. There are nineteen thousand
stockholders in the Pennsylvania railroad and
eighteen Thousand laborers. Whom these labor
ers. by thrift, become stockholders. the problem
One man canuot own and another con
of thrift of industry and economy
We know how to make money, but do not know
how to use it. We have the open liquor sho %.
in every town and savings banks He would
rather see a savings bank in every school house
than another church built. The public schoo
system ought to be cut at the top aud widenef
| at the bottom. Tho railroads and the telegraph
lines should be under the control of the govern
ment To the laborer and the capitalist he would
say: do justly, love mercy. walk with God
| and through education, organization and en-
largement Of governmental functions the better
condition of the laborer will come"